Utility carrying case with supporting staff



July 1961 w. PLUNKETT 2,990,924

UTILITY CARRYING CASE WITH SUPPORTING STAFF Filed 001;. 20, 1959 29 INVENTOR mL TER PLU/V/(ETT ATTORNEY July 4, 1961 w. PLUNKETT UTILITY CARRYING CASE WITH SUPPORTING STAFF 5 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 20, 1959 INV EN TOR n AL TER PL u/vms 7'7- July 4, 1961 w. PLUNKETT UTILITY CARRYING CASE WITH SUPPORTING STAFF Filed Oct. 20, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ML TEA PLU/V/(ETT BY A W ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,990,924 UTILITY CARRYING CASE WITH SUPPORTING STAFF I Walter Plunkett, Los Angeles, Calif. (111 Marquez Place, Pacific Palisades, Calif.) Filed Oct. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 847,504 13 Claims. (Cl. 19041) This invention relates to utility cases such as ladies handbags and has as itsgeneral object to provide a carrying case especially adapted for use at the beach or at a picnic, for holding various articles of cosmetics, protective lotions, reading glasses, swim caps, handkerchiefs, tissues, and other articles which may be useful on an outing; or for garden use e. g., for holding tools used in flower cutting, etc.; for paints, and equipment for the artist or watercolorist; and for other miscellaneous uses which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

In general, the invention contemplates a carrying case having a handle and a supporting staflf associated with a receptacle unit that is adapted to assume open and closed positions respectively, the arrangement being such that the handle may be utilized to carry the closed receptacle in approximately the same relationship thereto as in any conventional handbag, and the staff is adapted to support the receptacle in an opened position with the lower end of the staif anchored in the sand or the turf at the side of the outing and with the receptacle supported in a position elevated above the ground so as to protect its contents against sand, dirt, etc. i

More specifically, the invention contemplates a carrying case embodying a supported stafi having a pointed lower end adapted to function as a stake which can read ily be pushed into the sand or turf to provide an upstanding pedestal-type support for a receptacle carried by the stafi and adapted to be opened while thus supported by the staff. j

A further object is to provide such a carrying case wherein the opened receptacle, as supported by its staif impaled in the ground, is adapted to provide a shallow tray-like support, disposed generally in a horizontal plane, for the various articles of personal use which can be spread out horizontally within the case. so asto ,be most readily accessible to the owner.

A further object is to provide a case as outlined above, I

wherein the receptacle unit comprises a pair of receptacle sections hinged to one another on a median axis '(or a pair of adjacentparallel axes) together with a combined handle and staff unit attached to the joint between the.

two receptacle sections and adapted to support the same in balanced condition projecting in opposite direction from the joint. 7 Y A further object is to provide such a carrying case having means for supporting the respective receptacle sections with respect to the combined staff and handle unit, with the respective receptacle sections firmly supported in horizontally extending positions. 7

Another object is to provide such a carrying case, wherein the receptacle sections are adapted to fold upwardly from the above mentioned horizontally extended positions, and to come together on respective sidesof the handle portion of the handle-stafi unit, with the handle portion projecting upwardly between the receptacle sections to function as a handle in the closed case.

Another object is to provide such a carrying case which is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction, yet amply rugged and durable when used in the intended manner Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawing in which:

l is a perspective view o f a carrying case em- Patented July 4, 1961 bodying one form of my invention; shown in its closed condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same, illustrating one side of the case in an opposed position while the other side of the case is secured upstanding in a position corresponding to its closed position of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same showing the respective receptacle sections supported in their horizon.- tally extended positions;

FIG. 4 is an end View of the same case with the receptacle sections shown in respective partially opened positions and supported by supplementary suspension means;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a carrying case embodying a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the same taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5

FIG. 7.is a perspective view of the same with the receptacle sections shown in the horizontally projecting positions, supported by the staff;

' FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional detail taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a carrying case embodying still a further modified form of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view, on a larger scale, showing the same in opened condition; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary detail view of the same.

The invention as shown in FIGS. 1-4

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, I have shown therein, as an example of one form in which my invention may be embodied, a carrying case embodying, in general, a receptacle unit A and a combined staff and handle unit B.

' The receptacle unit A comprises a pair "of rectangular receptacle sections 10 and 11 respectively, each embodying a side wall panel 12, a pair of end wall members 13 and -a bridging wall member 14 to become the top of the case. The wall members 12, 13 and 14 may be integrally formed of sheet material (e.g. thin sheet metal or sheet plastic or the like) or may be of woven reed sheet fabric material as indicated. The end wall members 13 are integrally joined to side wall members 12 by corner joints 15, and the bridging wall members 14 are integrally joined to side wall members 12 by corner joints 16 and to end Wall members 13 by integral corner joints 17. Opposite the corners 17, end wall members 13 have free ends 18 which are relatively movable for folding movement with respect toone another, for opening and closing the case. Corresponding edges of side wall members 12 are attached by hinges 19 to the respective side margins of a coupling yoke 20. Yoke 20 has respective integral end members 21 bent at right angles to bottom web 9 of yoke 20 and interposed between the respective ends 18 of end wall members 13. The end wall members 13 of case section 11 are spaced apart a distance somewhat less than the spacing between end wall members 13 of case section 10, the diiferential in spacing being approximately equivalent to the combined thickness of the end members 21 of the coupling yoke 20, whereby the ends 18 of the receptacle section 11 may have folding movement adjacent the inner faces of yoke end members 21, whereas the ends 18 of case section 10 may have tolding movement adjacent the outer faces of the end members 21, the end members 21 thus being sandwiched between the end wall members 13 of the respective receptacle sections in the closed case, and with the end wall members 13 of case section 11 contained within case section 10. As indicated in FIG. 4, the hinges 19 are the bottom of the closed case.

The handle-staff unit B can be fabricated from wood, bamboo, metal reed, etc. or plastic rod or tubing, or the like, for a combination of rigidity and strength and, for lightness, is of as light weight a material as is consistent with the required resistance to bending. At its lower end it has a pointed stake 25. A pair of legs 26, 27, diverging upwardly from a joint 28' where they join the stake 25, together constitute the staff member 29, up to the point where they meet the central portion of coupling yoke 20. The legs 26 and 27 pass through apertures 30 in the coupling yoke 20 and are continued thereabove to constitute the respective arms 31, 32 of a loop handle 33 having a bridging handle member 34. The entire handle-staff unit is fabricated from a single length of rod or heavy wire, with the stake 25, leg 27 and arm members 32 constituting one continuous, substantially straight section thereof, and with the arm 31 and leg 26 jointly constituting a return-bent portion the end of which is joined to the leg 27 by the joint 28 which may be a welded 'oint. J In the respective bridging wa-ll members 14 of the respective receptacle sections and 11, are respective rectangular notches 35 and 36 each having a depth approximately equal to half the depth of the respective bridging wall member 14, and a length slightly greater than the distance between the remote sides of handle arms 31, 32, whereby the latter may be embraced within the respective notches 35 and 36 in the closed case, as shown in FIG. 1. a

The sheet material of coupling section of the receptacle is preferably of the same or a related material to that in the handle-staff unit B, whereby to facilitate the anchoring of the arms 31, 32 to the coupling yoke 20 where they pass through apertures 30, which anchoring is preferably attained by welding the arms 31, 32 to the coupling yoke 20 at the apertures 30. This anchoring connection is sufficiently rugged to transmit the force of the handle 33 to the closed case so that it may be carried suspended in a persons hand grasping the handle 33.

In the opened assembly of parts shown in FIG. 3, the respective corners of receptacle sections 10 and 11 are suspended from the handle arms 31, 32 by flexible suspension elements 37 which are arranged in pairs, attached at 38 to respective handle arms 31, 32. Although small-gauge link chains are indicated, the suspension elements 37 may be of textile cord material or small gauge woven Wire cable construction, provided in each instance that they are highly flexible so as to be relatively limp when the case is folded to closed position. Thus the suspension elements are simply folded into the closed case, accommodating themselves to the contours of the articles within the case.

A securing strap mechanism, embodying strap sections 40 and 41 secured, as at 42, to respective side wall members 12 of the respective receptacle sections 10 and 11, are adapted to be attached to one another by means of a buckle 43 attached to the free end of strap section 41 and an aperture 44 (FIG. 1) in the strap section 40, to secure the case in the closed condition shown in FIG. 1. The strap section 40 is relatively long, and has a series of secondary apertures 45 near its free end, whereby by draping it over the top of handle 33 as shown in FIG. 4, and by attaching its free end to the buckle 43, the respective case sections 10 and 11 may be suspended from the handle 33 by the strap assembly, with the case sections tilted upwardly as indicated in FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the case section 11 may be secured to handle 33 in the elevated position shown in that figure, by means of a third strap section 45 attached at 46 to the inner side of the side member 12 of receptacle section 11, extending through the notch 36 in the bridging wall member 14, and adapted to be extended over the handle 33 and coupled to the buckle 43 of strap section 41 as shown in FIG. .2.

Any selected arrangement of pocket members 48 may be provided in either one or both of the receptacle sections 10, 11. Pocket members 48 may be such as are provided by a wide band of fabric attached by spaced lines of stitching, at 49, to the corner joints 15 and to intermediate areas of the side wall members 12 of case section 11 as shown in FIG. 3.

With the handle-stafi unit B rigidly secured to the bottom member of coupling yoke 20, and with the suspension elements 37 drawn up to taut positions as shown in FIG. 3, the respective receptacle sections 10 and 11 will be suspended in a substantially horizontal plane as indicated in that figure, thus cooperatively providing a shallow horizontally disposed supporting tray in which the various articles of the carrying case can be arranged in conveniently spaced relation, for use. This will be readily apparent, no attempt being made to actually illustrate the supported articles in the drawing.

Modified form of inventionFlGS. 5-7

' (and corresponding reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts to avoid repetition of description thereof) with the exception of the following differences:

The combined handle-staff unit B may embody a staff 27' of single-rod form, with a pointed stake 25 at its lower end, and with a bifurcated structure 29' at its upper end, consisting in a return bent portion of a continuous rod member joined to the upper end of staff 27 at 28'. The handle arms 31, 32 may be parallel as indicated, and are anchored to a cross bar 50 to the ends of which they are welded at 51. The cross bar 50 may function as the pintle of a coupling member (hinge) 19 which may consist in respective leaves 52 secured, as by riveting at 53, to adjoining bottom wall members 9 of the respective case sections 10', 11'. Supplementary hinges 19" are utilized to couple the case sections 10', 11' to one another at their adjacent corner areas. In the opened condition of the case as shown in FIG. 7, the bottom members 9' are adapted to engage the yoke section 29' of the staff to brace respective receptacle sections in their horizontally projecting positions, while they are suspended by hinge 19 from the cross bar 50 for vertical support. Shallow notches 35', 36' in the respective receptacle sections are adapted to receive the handle 33 so that the edges of the receptacle wa-ll members 13 and 14 may come together in abutting relation as indicated in FIG. 5. In this closed condition of the case, the receptacle sections may be secured together by suitable fasteners, such as are indicated at 41', 43.

Grooves 54 extending transversely in the outer sides of bottom wall members 9, are positioned to register with and receive the handle arms 31, 32 (FIG. 8) when the case is in the opened condition shown in FIG. 7.

In lieu of hinges 19', 19", piano hinges extending from the outer corners of the case sections to handle arms 31, 32 respectively, may be employed.

Modified form of invention-FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show a still further modified form of the invention wherein the staff B" is of straight, singleleg form, beginning with the stake 25" at its lower end, including the single leg 27", and ending at the junction between its upper shaft 32" and a handle 33" which may be of ring form as shown.

The shaft B" is secured to and extends without interruption through a coupling platform 20" in the form of a circular disc, which provides or supports the bottom of a receptacle A" of :a gathered bag type. Receptacle A" comprises a skin 55 consisting of a circular sheet of limp material such as woven or netted textile fabric material, thin synthetic resin sheet plastic material, or sheet material of equivalent lightness, limpness, flexibility and toughness. The center of the skin 55 rests upon or is attached per-- manently to the coupling platform around the shaft 32". Securedto the skin 55 are a series of ribs 56 of spring wire or strip or equivalent material of a stiffness suflicient to support the area ofthe container which projects beyond the rim of platform 20" in the fully opened condition of FIG. 11. Ribs56 may be-coveredby tapes; 55' sewed to skin 55, for securing the ribs" to the skin. The stiffness of ribs 56 may be moderated by some flexibility, suflicient tor the ribs to flex to outwardly bowed condition upon closing of the receptacle A" around a full load of contents, to the closed condition shown in FIG. 9. Each of the ribs 56 isjoined to the rirnof platform 20" by a hinge 57', and has an integral projecting stop lug 58 arranged to engage theunderside of platform 20" to support the rib as extended substantially in the horizontal plane of platform 20" as shown in FIG. 11. The hinges 57 are arranged to permit unrestricted upward hinging movement of the ribs 56 so that the peripheral portion of the skin 55 may begathered to constitute a substantially closed mouth 59 (FIG. 9). Lugs 58 project through apertures in skin 55.

Attached to the outer ends of ribs 56, by means of hinges 60, is a corresponding series of retainer fingers 61 each having at its upper end an eye 62 through which is threaded a draw-cord 63. At its lower end, each finger 61 has an integral stop lug 64 projecting inwardly at right angles adjacent the hinge 60 and engageable with the upper side, of the respective rib 56 to restrain the finger from collapsing inwardly beyond an upstanding receptacle. rim-defining position (e.g. subtending a 90 angle to the respective rib 56) yet permitting the hinge 60 to break out wardly so that the finger may assume an obtuse angular relation to the respective rib 56 in the closed position of the bag shown in FIG. 9. Optionally, suspension cords 65 may be attached to the handle 33 and to some of the eym 62, to provide auxiliary support for the rim of the opened receptacle.

The skin 55 includes a marginal or rim portion 65 extending beyond the hinges 60 to a width corresponding to the length of retainer fingers 61 and secured to the fingers -61 (e.g. by a marginal hem attached to the fingers just below the eyes 62). The rim portion 65 may be simply a marginal portion of a continuous circular sheet of fabric including the body portion of skin 55, flat pre vious to attachment to the ribs 56 and fingers 61, or alternatively may be a pre-formed cylindrical band attached, as by sewing, to the periphery of the body portion 55, functioning as described hereinafter. In either event, the rim portion 65 does not restrain the outward hinging of fingers 61 to obtuse-angular relation to ribs 56, when the latter have been folded upwardly and inwardly to reduce the circumference of the receptacle rim, the rim portion then assuming a loose, gathered condition.

. With the ribs 56 extended horizontally, as in FIG. 11, and supported in such horizontally extended positions by the locking engagement of lugs 58 against platform 20", and with the retainer fingers 61 drawn inwardly and their stop lugs 64- locked against the rib 56, as by drawing the ends of draw cord 63 together and tying them, the receptacle A will be secured in the extended, open position shown in FIG. 11, with its bottom braced in a horizontal plane and its rim portion 65 braced in the upstanding position shown. Alternatively, the rim portion 65 of the skin 55 may be pre-formed as an endless cylindrical band of just the right diameter to be placed under some tension by the upstanding retainer fingers 61 in the fully opened position of the receptacle, thus securing the fingers 61 locked in their upstanding positions by engagement of lugs .64 against ribs 56, and the draw-cord 63 may be utilized either to supplement the rim 65 in thus retaining the fingers 61 in upstanding positions, or may be utilized only for gathering the rim of the receptacle in the form of the closed mouth 58 of FIG. 9. 7

creeper I claim; I

1. In a carrying case tion; a pairof rectangular receptacle sections each including a sidewall panel, a pair of end wall members joined to respective ends of said-panel, and a bridging wall member joined to one side margin of said panel and to an end of; each of said end wall members, a coupling member to which said receptacle sections are respectively hinged adjacent the other side margin of the respective panels; the respective receptacle sections being arranged to swing on said coupling member between open and closed positions; a combined staff and handle unit having at one end a stake for insertion into the ground, a staff section joined to said stake and extending to and attached to said coupling member, and a handle section of yoke form extending from said coupling member as a continuation of said'staif section, a distance somewhat greater than the width of the case sections, whereby the latter may be closeduponrespec-tiwe sides of said handle section to attain the closed position of the case, and with the end portionof said handle section projecting from between the receptacle sections to provide a carrying handle; and flexible suspension means secured to said receptacle sections and'attached to said handle section above said coupling member for supporting the receptacle sections with relation to said combined handle and stafi unit, in positions to respective ends of said panel, and a bridging wall mem ber joined to one side margin of said panel and to an end of each of said end wall members; means hingedly coupling the receptacle sections to one another adjacent the other side margins of the respective panels for swinging movement of the respective receptacle sections between,

open and closed positions; a staff-handle unit having at one end a stake for insertion into the ground, a stafi section joined to said stake and extending to and attached to said coupling means and a handle section extending from said bottom web, as a continuation of said staff section, a distance somewhat greater than the width of the case sections, whereby the latter may be closed upon respective sides of said handle section to attain said closed position of the case, and with the end portion of said handle section projecting from between the receptacle sections and formed with a carrying handle; and flexible suspension means secured to said receptacle sections and attached to said handle section above said coupling member for supporting the receptacle sections with relation to said combined handle and staff unit, in positions projecting at right angles therefrom and substantially in a common horizontal plane when the stake is impaled in the ground in a vertical position to provide a substantially horizontal article-supporting tray.

3. A carrying case as defined in claim 2, wherein said bridging wall members are provided, between their ends, with notches positioned to receive said handle section to accommodate full closing of the receptacle.

4. A receptacle as defined in claim 2, including securing strap members attached to the respective receptacle sec tions and having means for releasable attachment to one another to secure the receptacle sections in closed connection to one another. 7

5. In a carrying case with supporting staff, in combina tion: 7 a pair of rectangular receptacle sections each including a sidewall panel, a pair of end wall members joined to respective ends of said panel, a bridging wall member joined to one side margin of said panel and to an end or each of said end wall members, and a bottom web joined to the other side margin of said panel and to the other ends of said end wall members a coupling member with supporting staff, in combina-a 7 to which said bottom webs of the receptacle sections are respectively hinged, whereby in'closed positions of the latter, said bottom webs constitute the'bottom ofthe case; a'sta'ff lrandle unit having-at one-end a stake for insertion into the ground, a staff sectionjoined to said stake'and extending to and attached to said coupling member and a handle section of yoke form embodying spaced arms extending from said'coupling member as 'a continuation of said stafi section a distance somewhat greater than the width of the case sections, whereby the latter may be closed upon respective sides of said handle section to attainclosed positions, with the end portion of said handle section'projecting from betwen the receptacle sections to provide a carrying handle; said bottom wall members arranged for their outer faces to abut opposite sides of said staff section to supportsaid receptacle sections in open positions projecting horizontally from opposite sides of said staff section to provide a substantially horizontal shallow article-supporting'tray supported on said handlestaff unit, said coupling member comprising a cross-rod bridging between said handle section arms and hinge parts journalled on said cross-rod and attached to respective receptacle sections.

6. 'In a carrying case with supporting staff, in combination: apair of rectangular receptacle sections each including a sidewall panel, a pair of end wall members joined to respective ends of said panel, and a bridging wall member joined to one side margin of said panel and toanend (if each of said end wall members, the latter having free opposite ends adjacent the other side margin of said panel; a coupling member of yoke form, embodying a bottom'web having a width corresponding to the depth of a receptacle section and having opposite side margins to which said other side margins of the receptacle sections are respectively hinged, said coupling member further including integral end members bent at right angles from the respective ends of said bottom web arranged to be sandwiched between said end wall members of the respective receptacle sections in closed positions of the latter in which said bottom web constitutes the bottom of the case; a combined staff and handle unit having at one end a stake for insertion into the ground, a staff section joined to said stake and extending to and through and secured to said bottom web, and a handle section of yoke form ex tending from said bottom web, as a continuation of said staff section, a distance somewhat greater than the width of the case sections, whereby the latter maybe closed upon respective sides of said'handle section to attain said closed'positions with the end portion of said handle section projecting from between the receptacle sections to provide a carrying handle; and means for supporting the receptacle sections with relation to said combined handle and staff unit, in positions projecting at right angle therefrom and substantially in a common horizontal plane when the stake is impaled in the ground in'a vertical position, said last means comprising a plurality of flexible suspension elements each attached at one end to an outer corner of a respective receptacle section and at its other end to said handle section at a point elevated above said bottom web whereby said suspension elements cooperatively'constitute a suspension sling.

7. In a carrying case with supporting staff, in combination: apair of rectangular receptacle sections each including a sidewall panel, a pair of end wall members joined to respective ends of said panel, a bridging wall member joined to one side margin of said panel and to an end of each of said end wall members, and a bottom web joined to the other side margin of said panel and to the other ends of said end wall members; a coupling member to which said bottom webs of the receptacle sections are respectively hinged, whereby in closed positions of the latter, said bottom webs constitute the bottom of the case; a staff handle unit having at one end a stake for insertion into the ground, a staff secti'on join'ed to said stake and extending to and attached to "said "coupling member and a handle section extending from said couplingrnember as a continuation of said stalf section a distance somewhat greater than "the width of the case sections, -whereby the lattermaybeclosed upon respective side's'ofsaid handle section to attain closed positions, and with the end portion of said handle section projecting from between the receptacle sections to provide a carrying handle; said bottom wall members being adapted to abut opposite sides o'fsaid staff section to support said receptacle sections in open positions projecting horizontally from opposite sides of said staff section to provide a substantially'horizontal shallow article-supporting tray supported 'on "said handle-staff unit.

'8. A combined carrying case and supporting staff-comprising, in combination: a staff having at its lower end a stake adapted to be inserted in the ground for supporting the staff in an upstanding position and having at its upper end a carrying handle; coupling means secured to the staff below said handle and extending transversely of'the staff; and a receptacle including a central portion supported on saidcoupling member and including lateral parts movable with respect to said coupling member between positions extending upwardly therefrom to provide a closed receptacle, and open positions extending horizontally from said coupling member to provide a horizontal'tray-like open receptacle, said coupling means comprising a supporting platform of flat circular disc form, said staff extending through and secured to the center-of said platform in perpendicular relation thereto so as to support said platform in a horizontal plane when upright; said receptacle being provided with a plurality of radially disposed, circumferentially spaced ribs each hinged to the rim of the platform by means of a oneway-breaking hinge such that the ribs may swing upwardly and inwardly; said receptacle further including a Skin of flexible sheet material having an outward portion attached to said ribs and adapted to be gathered inwardly by upward swinging of said ribs to define substantially a closed receptacle.

9. A combined carrying case and supporting staff as defined in claim 8, including respective retainer fingers each hinged at a lower end to the outer end of a respective rib and having stop means operable on inward hinging movement of the finger to limit the minimum angle subtended between the finger and the respective rib to an angle such that the fingers collectively will define an upstanding receptacle rim when the ribs are extended in substantially horizontal positions, said skinineluding a marginal portion attached to said fingers and cooperating therewith to define said receptacle rim.

10. A combined carrying case and supporting staff as defined in claim 9, including a draw-cord slidably coupled to the outer ends of the respective retainer fingers and adapted to be secured together to provide a closed loop of a selected diameter, such as to secure said fingers upstanding in their inward-limit positions when the ribs are horizontally extended, for providing a'braced retainer rim in the opened receptacle and so as to provide a closed mouth for the closed receptacle.

11. In a carrying case with supporting staff, in combination: a receptacle comprising: receptacle members disposed symmetrically on respective sides of a median zone with reference to which said receptacle members are movable between a normally closed position defining a carrying case adapted to receive and carry a number of articles, and an open position wherein said receptacle members are spread apart and disposed generally in 'a horizontal plane to define an open supporting tray structure; a staff having at its lower end a stake adapted to be inserted into the ground, said staff extending through said median zone and having at its upper end a carrying handle; coupling means in said median zone, attached to'an intermediate portion of said staff and said receptacle members and providing 'a folding connection between said receptacle members and .a supporting connection to said stafi; and means cooperating with said coupling means for bracing said receptacle members in said open position, with said receptacle members supported completely by said staff.

12. A carrying case and staff combination as defined in claim 11, wherein said receptacle members are hingedly attached to said coupling means.

13. A combined carrying case and staff as defined in claim 11, wherein said receptacle sections in their closed position, are connected to said coupling means at their lower extremities and are folded upwardly therefirom, and wherein said receptacle members are opened down- 10 wardly and outwardly from said closed position to attain said open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,608,394 Henry Nov. 23, 1926 1,839,783 Bloom Ian. 5, 1932 2,522,322 Wallace Sept. 12, 1950 10 2,905,513 Kane Sept. 22, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 81,903 Austria Dec. 10, 1920 

